Arch support



I Dec. 12, 1944.

A. UGER 2,365,124

ARCH SUPPORT Filed Nov. 27, 1943 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCH SUPPORT Aron Uge'r, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Application November 27, 1943, Serial No. 512,030

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in arch supports for shoes of the type broadly comprising an arched insole-shaped leather sheet member adapted to be positioned within a shoe and to extend from the heel of the wearers foot to the vicinity of the metatarsal arch of the foot and designed to support the longitudinal arch of the foot, the arched portion of the leather member. being reinforced by a flexible metal plate secured to the under side thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a flexible metal plate underneath the leather sheet member, such plate being arched and anchored at its rear end to the leather sheet member, and its forward end slidably engaging a second platewhich is also anchored to the leather sheet member so that the spring steel plate can adjust itself to the weight and contour of the sole of the wearers foot.

A further object of my invention is to furnish one or more spiral springs which extend between the rear end of the spring steel plate and the forward metal plate so that the arch support will be resiliently retained against flattening under the weight of the foot of the wearer in walking, but will, through the springs, resiliently retain the bones of the longitudinal arch of the wearers foot in their proper arch relationship and resiliently exercise the foot as the wearer is walking.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, as shall hereinafter appear, my invention consists of an arch supporting device formed and arranged all as hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of my arch support.

Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing my arch support furnished with a spiral spring.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of my arch 7 support as shown in Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view through my arch support, being taken through the line 44,Figure 1.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the differing views of the drawmg.

My arch support is preferably made of sheet leather and is adapted to rest upon the insole of a shoe, and comprises a flat heel end portion I,

an arched central portion 2, and a forward portion 3 which extends to the vicinity of the metatarsal bones of the wearers foot.

The central portion 2 of the arch support is so curved that it is spaced away from the central portion of the insole of the shoe and such portion 2 is suitably reinforced by a thin steel plates which is secured to its rear end to thearch sup-' port by a rivet 5. The plate 4 substantially follows the contour of the leather arch support and provides a resilient reinforcement.

The forward portion ofthe plate 4 is not at-' tached to the leather arch support but is in free 'slidable engagement witha forward metal plat t which is secured to the leather arch support by rivets I. The plate 6 is formed with lips 8 on its side edges, such lips being turned over to engage the bottom of the plate 4. The plate 4 lides between the lower face of the plate 6 and the inner faces of its lips, as shown in Figure 4.

The plate 6 is formed with forwardly extending nose piece 12 which cove s the lower face of the forward portion 3 of the leather arch support. The nose piece [2 rests on the insole of the shoe and permits the forward end 3 of the arch support to readily slide on the insole as the arch support is flexed. The rear end l3 of the plate 6 projects underneath the spring steel plate 4, assisting the plate 4 to readily slide on the plate 6.

It will be appreciated that as the spring plate 4 is curved to follow the contour of the leather arch support that it will assist in supporting the metatarsal arch of the wearer's foot, but through its forward end not being anchored but being in slidable engagement with the forward plate 6, that the spring plate 4 can adjust itself in curvature and thus provide a soft and resilient support.

In the treatment of fallen arches and other foot ailments it is very frequently desirable to adjust the resilient pressure against the metatarsal arch of the wearer's foot and for this reason I have found it advantageous to, in certain cases, provide an additional resilient means through the use of tension springs as shown in Figures 2' and 3 of the drawing.

In the construction as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rear end portion of the lower face of spring plate 4 is formed with a plurality of hook members 9 which are adapted to receive the looped ends of one or more spiral springs Hi. The forward plate 6 is also formed in its lower face with a plurality of hook members I I to which the for ward ends of the springs I are attached. As illustrated, the spiral spring It extends between two central hooks 9 and H and as such spring Ill is under a light initial tension it retains itself in position on the hooks.

It will thus be appreciated that as the longitudinal arch of the foot of the wearer bears down upon my arch support that, if the spring plate 4 has a tendency to flatten beyond a point that is desirable, that the spring I 0 will resiliently resist such tendency to flatten and will retain the arch support in its correct supporting position.

If the weight or construction of the wearers foot is of such a character that one spring I0 is insufficient support against flattening, then two or more springs may be used.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be appreciated that I have described an extremely simple and yet effective arch support which will adjust itself to provide all the resiliency necessary to insure comfort and correction for the foot of the wearer and in which such resiliency may be very quickly and readily adjusted to suit varying conditions.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An arch support of the character described comprising a leather-like flexible arched member adapted to rest upon the insole of a shoe, an arched flexible metallic plate positioned underneath the arched portion of said member and secured at its rear end to the member, a second metallic plate secured to the bottom face of the leather-like member and extending rearwardly from the front edge of the leather-like member and slidably resting upon the insole of the shoe and against the lower face of which the forward end of the flexible metallic plate slidably rests,

lips formed on the sides of the second metallic plate intermediately of its length and turned over to engage the bottom of the forward end of the flexible metallic plate to retain the plates in sliding engagement with one another, and a spiral spring secured at one end to the rear end of the flexible metallic plate and at its front end to the front plate and tending to draw the rear end of the flexible metallic plate towards the front plate to resiliently retain the flexible metal-- lic plate in its arched form.

2. An arch support of the character described comprising a leather-like flexible arched member adapted to rest upon the insole of a shoe, an

arched flexible metallic plate positioned underneath the arched portion of said member and secured at its rear end to the member, a second metallic plate secured to the bottom face of the member and slidable on the insole of the shoe and against the lower face of which the forward end of the flexible metallic plate slidably rests, means for retaining the forward end of the flexible metallic plate in slidable contact with the second plate, and a spiral spring secured at one end to the rear end of the flexible metallic plate and at its front end to the front plate and tending to draw the rear end of the flexible metallic plate towards the front plate to resiliently retain the flexible metallic plate in its arched form.

ARON UGER. 

